Just how bad are the crowds for HEA?

[mshanson3121]

I've seen some horror stories about how bad the crowds are now for Happily Ever After. That with the projections, getting a good spot is even more important, so crowds are worse than they were before for Wishes.

Any thoughts on this?

And just how bad is bad? I read some comments online that said they didn't even feel safe, the crowds were crushing and pushing so bad?

 

[JBeaty0507]

I agree that it was much worse for Happily Ever After, the one time I have watched it from in front of the castle. Now mind you, this was with dessert party reservations. So the only walk through it I had to make was from Tomorrowland Terrace to the Garden Viewing Area and I was following a Cast Member. I still felt claustrophobic.....and I can usually handle a crowd. But this was literally wall to wall people. We used to watch wishes quite a bit from somewhere close to the castle, but after that one experience with the dessert party, I will probably only try to watch Happily Ever After from in front of the castle if I have a dessert party reservation. My husband just can't handle that, and just to be honest, I don't know that it's worth it for me either at this point, though I do still enjoy watching just the fireworks from anywhere in the park. I will try to be fair in saying that when we did this, it was December, but not quite Christmas crowds yet. However, we went in February and came into Magic Kingdom around 8:30 and they wouldn't even let us walk down Main Street or even the back walk they usually open up for Christmas/Halloween parties. We were funneled to actual backstage between Main Street and Tomorrowland and came out right around where Buzz Lightyear meets in Tomorrowland. It was crazy. I mean, we were walking around delivery trucks and such.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I was there last year for the last Wishes and we saw the 2nd showing of HEA. We tried watching from a very packed Main St and being the height challenged person I am I couldn't see much. Between not seeing the projections, the crowds, and still nursing my broken heart over the loss of Wishes, I admit that I'm not a HEA fan-yet. I'm hoping the dessert party next Tuesday will change my mind about it. That being said, I don't think I will be watching it in the future without reserved seating-the crowds are just too much.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We watched it twice from the dessert party so far. Personally, I couldn't do the Hub, it's too crowded from what I saw.

We also enjoyed watching it from the Contemporary. Even though we couldn't see the projections, we thought the fireworks and music were still great

 

[gap2368]

I've seen some horror stories about how bad the crowds are now for Happily Ever After. That with the projections, getting a good spot is even more important, so crowds are worse than they were before for Wishes.

Any thoughts on this?

And just how bad is bad? I read some comments online that said they didn't even feel safe, the crowds were crushing and pushing so bad?

This is coming from someone that does not deal well with crowds at all ( last time I had EMS called for me and my O2 dropped very low and was put on oxygen for a good 30 minutes just to bring it up a little ) it is very crowded but if you do not care about seeing all the fireworks and all the projection ( just some of each like 75%) the watch it from the flag poll not too bad and you beat the crowd to the buss boat or monersil

 

[Klayfish]

And just how bad is bad? I read some comments online that said they didn't even feel safe, the crowds were crushing and pushing so bad?

That's purely subjective, and also depends on time of year. I think it's a bit...OK, a lot...of melodrama when people say they don't feel safe. Yes, I respect everyone has their own opinions, but it's not some mad rush like the running of the bulls or a riot at a soccer match like you see on TV overseas. It's extremely crowded, but I don't think it's necessarily any more crowded now than it was when it was Wishes. Leaving is just the normal slow mass of movement that it always has been, with some people walking fast weaving through the crowd (and yes, that's been us). Personally, I don't find it a big deal at all.

 

[Tomh]

We've seen HEA 5 times, all in August, and for sure, the hub area was a good bit more crowded than it used to be for Wishes. I wouldn't purposely stand in that crowd if I could avoid it, and I'm not the kind to be concerned about big crowds, but they are packed in pretty tight there. We go for the old FP area in front of Casey's. If that option is no longer available, then we will probably watch from farther down Main Street, or find some place off to the side, and sacrifice seeing the projections.

 

[jpeterson]

It's substantially more crowded than Wishes seemed to be. We were at one of the last showings of Wishes and easily got a spot in the garden section in front of Casey's. HEA usually ends up with us halfway down main street. We did do the Plaza garden party this past May and it was well worth it. We won't do it every time, but it was a great way to see the fireworks without dealing with the crowds.

 

[mshanson3121]

So basically, if you want to see the projections - pay for the dessert party, or camp out an hour or two in advance and be packed in like a sardine?

 

[Summer2018]

Everyone has their own comfort level. Personally, I don’t like crowds especially when people are entering my personal space; cutting in front of me making me trip (I have a torn meniscus. The last thing I need is to fall.); or pushing me as we are all trying to exit the park at the same time. I didn’t feel comfortable in the fireworks crowds in MK in July 2015. I vowed then, never again.

It just so happens that my family isn’t nuts about crowds either. So, we rope drop the parks and get out when the crowds overwhelm us. We stay in a deluxe monorail resort and view fireworks from our resort or restaurant. We don’t care about seeing projections. We prefer to be relaxed while viewing the fireworks and then within minutes, we are ready for bed.

For those who are not affected by large groups of people: Enjoy!

 

[Klayfish]

So basically, if you want to see the projections - pay for the dessert party, or camp out an hour or two in advance and be packed in like a sardine?

To some degree, yes. You'll never have a night where you can just stroll up to the Castle a few minutes before the show and get a prime spot. It's a "full house" every night, so you just have to expect that. But how much it bothers you is a judgment call. I normally hate crowds too, but in this case, I just kind of look at it as "it is what it is" and go with the flow.

 

[CeruleanMoon]

We were at MK a few weeks ago on a crowd level 4 day and were able to walk into the hub 10 minutes before the show and find a place to stand. There was still a crowd of course, but there were gaps to squeeze through for walking and I never felt "crushed" like I do in some crowds. For reference, I'm 5'0" so tight crowds feel suffocating to me, especially when your face is pressed up against other people's backs and shoulders. I did not feel this way during our night there and was even able to see most of the projections. (I had to weave side to side a bit to look around other people's bodies, but still.)

I imagine things feel different on higher crowd days, but I just thought I'd share my experience.

 

[gap2368]

To some degree, yes. You'll never have a night where you can just stroll up to the Castle a few minutes before the show and get a prime spot. It's a "full house" every night, so you just have to expect that. But how much it bothers you is a judgment call. I normally hate crowds too, but in this case, I just kind of look at it as "it is what it is" and go with the flow.

about 99.9% of the time it is true you can not just walk up and get a good spot right before the show, but the .1% of the time you can do this it is so cool. like new years day this year it was cold and raining ( I do not think the hight got above 50) and the park was empty the CM did not even care where you where at all ( they normally have walkways opened, tap off areas on the ground this day they did not care there were so few people ( I later heard there was less than on a party night) it was great

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think it probably depends on what night you go. If you are planning on seeing HEA when MNSSHP and MVMCP are in full swing and HEA is only shown on limited nights, you will encounter higher crowds. Also, during school vacation and holiday times. We gave up on MK fireworks years ago. The crowds were always bad and, even if we found a good spot, someone always seemed to jump in front of us at the last minute and ruin our view. The crush to get out at the end was even worse. We only see HEA if we have booked a dessert party. It gives us a reasonably good view of the show and a place to safely hang out while most of the crowd is exiting the park.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

It's wall to wall people packed in tight like sardines. I've been booking the dessert party when I can to see it even though I'm just one person because the crowds are so bad.
I have found a couple of spots that if you get to early (an hour beforehand) at least no one is directly in front of you but you have a crush of folks at your back. Those spots have fences in front of you and they surround gardens that no one can get in them and block your view. I don't often talk about my favorite spots but these are pretty obvious when you are looking around for a place to watch HEA.
Then I just stay in my spot until they thin out and I can mosey to where I want to go.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

HEA is no more crowded than Wishes was, just depends on crowd levels and time of year you're there. I've been to 4 shows since HEA started and never have felt unsafe or experienced people pushing. My negatives are that what typically occurs **and I will note this is my pet peeve*** you have your spot waiting on the show to start, and then some DBag (sorry there's no other word to accurately describe this individual) rolls in when the shows already started and stands in front of you, your little girls and husband like you didn't even exist. It doesn't matter if you got there 2 hours before the show or 15 minutes, there is an unspoken law that a grown man does not come in to a show after it's started and stand in front of a small child. I'm sorry but that is horrible.If you really want to see it, get a spot a bit before the show and commit to standing your ground. Last show I said very kindly to the man that did this, "excuse me but you just blocked my child's view" and he moved but not sure I'd always be this lucky.

 

[gap2368]

It's wall to wall people packed in tight like sardines. I've been booking the dessert party when I can to see it even though I'm just one person because the crowds are so bad.
I have found a couple of spots that if you get to early (an hour beforehand) at least no one is directly in front of you but you have a crush of folks at your back. Those spots have fences in front of you and they surround gardens that no one can get in them and block your view. I don't often talk about my favorite spots but these are pretty obvious when you are looking around for a place to watch HEA.
Then I just stay in my spot until they thin out and I can mosey to where I want to go.

Just an FYI most of the spots in front of the fence is reserved now so there is less of places to see them from.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

about 99.9% of the time it is true you can not just walk up and get a good spot right before the show, but the .1% of the time you can do this it is so cool. like new years day this year it was cold and raining ( I do not think the hight got above 50) and the park was empty the CM did not even care where you where at all ( they normally have walkways opened, tap off areas on the ground this day they did not care there were so few people ( I later heard there was less than on a party night) it was great

We were there that night too. So cold and windy... but probably the best few hours we’ve had in the MK in awhile. I likened it to having our very own “Disney After Hours” event that night, without the extra cost. The park was totally empty. Walked up 3 minutes before the show and could have done cartwheels around the hub.

DS will always remember that night because we had some fireworks debris fall on us at one point (he thought it was so cool).

Anyway, sorry, OT to this thread, but your post made me remember what a good time we had that night (even with the cold).

 

[mindeola]

I do think it is more crowded than Wishes. I have an AP and go at all different times of the year. However, I have never felt unsafe or dangerous. It is just aggravating.

 

[walker0829]

We just got back from a trip last week and got to experience HEA crowds multiple times from various perspectives. The first was Sunday night when we were walking through trying to exit the park with a double stroller. I saw tons of good taped off areas that weren't even filled and it was under an hour until the show. At this point I considered cancelling our dessert party. The next night it was Wednesday and the wife and I went just for EMH. We had no interest in watching the show but we arrived right when it was starting and the crowds were insane. Thank goodness they now have walking areas that the CM's try to defend as best possible. I'm not sure we could even make it through the main street or hub areas without these areas carved out.

On Saturday night we had the dessert party and it was so worth it for the view alone. It had been raining on and off all day and into the evening but we got the the garden area, staked out a spot in the back against the railing and had no issues with the view. It was worth the premium to have that space available(even with everyone standing since the ground was wet). Outside the garden it was chaos. It was so nice not to have to spend a couple hours defending a prime spot.